How to research school districts

It might be one of the toughest things families need to do upon moving: finding a school district that fits their needs. Here are a couple ideas you might want to try:

• Look at the real estate listing; many realty companies have links or will tell you the district the house is in. Contact the district directly to ask questions.
  

• Call the police department in the area; you'd be surprised how much you can learn!

• Call the County's office and ask where the boundaries are laid for each school and what choices you and or may not have.

• Look at your state's education department. Many times they have good information and statistics available.

• Many people love the website www.greatschools.net; I always encourage people to verify information found on third party websites to ensure it is accurate and timely information.

And of course, visit the schools, talk to their guidance offices and see how you feel on their campus. I once personally visited a school that on paper had excellent statistics but when I visited it was unbelievably huge (I was looking for a smaller setting for my kids...)

Bottom line, take time to do your research. Don't just ask a realtor or neighbor "are the schools good?" because people have varying ideas about what constitutes a good education or a good school district. It's much better to do the legwork yourself; only you know what will work for your family.